The Choices We Make
by SkyeRose
Summary: When the circumstances surrounding a Marine's death are suspicious, Abby and, later, Ziva must go undercover. But, not all is as it seems and the case takes a sharp turn for the worse. Abby/McGee. Tony/Ziva. DISCONTINUED (until the muse strikes again.)
1. Chapter 1

**The Choices We Make**

**Chapter 1: The Murder**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine. Basically, I own nothing except the plot and any unrecognizable characters that I added.**

**A/N: So, I've pretty much just gotten into NCIS. I've watched it for four years, but sporadically and I was never really invested. A few months ago it hit me that I really love this show. I've watched every episode since then.**

**This is my first attempt at an NCIS story. It does have a plot, but it's probably going to end up being a mostly relationship centered story.**

**Pairings: Abby/McGee**

**Ziva/Tony**

**General Team Friendship with Abby and Gibbs as an almost father/daughter relationship.**

**So…please review, but be kind. No flames, please. ******

"Abs." Gibbs spoke from right behind Abby, causing the scientist to jump and spin around.

"Gibbs! Hi! When did you--? Never mind. What's up?" Abby bounced slightly on her heels and smiled brightly at the older man.

The corner of Gibbs' mouth twitched upwards slightly and he waited an amused moment before jumping into why he was here. "Got a new case." He reached around Abby and set a fresh Caff-Pow next to her keyboard.

"Right." Abby turned back to her computer and hit a few keys, bringing up several photographs.

"McGee." Gibbs shook his head slightly, not even needing to ask how Abby had gotten the photos.

"McGee." Abby agreed.

"Got anything for me?" Gibbs moved away from Abby to get closer to the large plasma set up in her lab.

"I just got the information, Gibbs!" Abby protested slightly, tapping a few more keys.

Gibbs smiled slightly, nodded once, and headed for the door.

"But that doesn't mean I don't have anything!" Abs called after him; her hands clasped in front of her and a proud smile on her face. Gibbs stopped and turned back to face Abby, a proud smile of his own playing across his features.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down." He made his way back to her computer area and waited as she rapidly typed commands into the unit.

"Gibbs!" Her tone was scandalized and she nudged his shoulder lightly. "Have I ever?"

"Nope." Gibbs nudged her back. "So, what exactly did McGee tell you?"

"Not much. Basically, I've got the reader's digest version. Team came back from Iraq two weeks ago. Sergeant Grant Meanders, Captain Rachel Tierney, Major Theodore Watson, and the deceased, Captain Michael Walsh." Abby took a deep breath. "Ducky said he was killed by a gunshot wound to the head, _but_ that there were multiple stab and burn wounds."

"That it?" Gibbs asked when she lapsed into silence.

"Well, no. That's just what McGee told me. I found two partial prints on Captain Walsh's belt buckle."

"Any matches?"

"Yep." Abby paused for effect. When Gibbs looked less than amused, she hurried on. "To Captain Tierney and Major Watson."

"His team members?" Gibbs smiled slightly. "Good work, Abs." He pressed a light kiss to her cheek.

"Now, see…why does she get a nice little kiss and I get a slap on the back of my head?" DiNozzo's playful tone called as he strode into the lab.

"Because she's the favorite." Ziva shot back without even looking at him.

"Get over it." McGee said, not unkindly.

"Haha." Tony rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Hey, boss."

"DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva." Gibbs greeted.

"Hey, guys!" Abby waved and smiled brilliantly.

"Abby!" Tony smiled just as brilliantly. You couldn't help but love her. _'In a totally sisterly way.'_ Tony amended in his head.

"Abs." McGee grinned.

"Hello, Abby." Ziva greeted, also with a smile.

"Now that we all know each other." Gibbs eyed them all semi-disapprovingly.

"Right." Abby said, immediately falling back into business mode. Scrunching up her face slightly, she typed in some more commands. "The partial prints aren't all I found." Spinning quickly on her platforms, she moved to her evidence table. "Preliminary blood analysis shows that Walsh had traces of gamma hydroxybutyric acid in his system."

Ziva and McGee looked quickly at each other with identical blank looks. Gibbs and Tony, however, spoke at the same time.

"GHB." Abby looked back and forth between each man. McGee cracked a small smile and Ziva rolled her eyes.

"Why does it not surprise me that you would know that?" Ziva eyed Tony.

Tony, in turn, made a face at her.

Gibbs shook his head in what was clearly a 'Children, please.' manner and looked back at Abby.

"Exactly. GHB; the date-rape drug." Abby smiled.

"Overdose?" Ziva asked.

"No. There was only enough in his system to make him woozy and less than coherent." Abby answered.

"So…whoever drugged him just wanted--," McGee started.

"To slow him down." Abs finished.

"Nice work, Abs." Gibbs squeezed her shoulder and jerked his head at his team. Abby grabbed her Caff-Pow and took a long sip as she watched them leave her lab.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

"That's a woman?" Tony grimaced as he looked at Captain Rachel Tierney through the two-way glass. The officer was sitting rigidly on her chair, hands folded stiffly on the table.

"Tony." Ziva admonished.

"What?" Tony shuddered. "Come on _Dav-eed_." He said, stressing her last name. "You can't even look at him. Her!" he quickly corrected himself, then, looking unsure, added, "It?"

"I can too." Ziva glanced at the officer, before looking away quickly. "See?"

"Ah, ah, ah." Tony waggled his finger at her and took a few slow steps in her direction. "Look at her, Ziva. Look at her. Big, frizzy hair…pale, shapeless face…mustache…"

Ziva shuddered so violently, she stumbled a few steps and bumped into the glass. The Captain jumped in alarm, beady eyes darting from side to side.

Tony laughed and brought his face close to Ziva's. "Well, we can't _all _be as blessed as you, Officer David."

Ziva smiled coyly and raised her hands slowly as though to caress his face. At the last moment she twisted her wrists and dug the heels of her hands into Tony's neck, hitting his pressure points.

Wincing, Tony jerked back and Ziva laughed.

"If you two are done…" Gibbs' voice barked from behind them. "We have two suspects to interrogate."

"Yes, Gibbs." Ziva looked at the ground and hurried past Gibbs.

"Right, boss." Tony smiled confidently and started to swagger out of the room.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled.

"On it, boss." Tony jogged out of the room. When he hit the hallway, he moved to the room he knew Major Watson would be in. He _really_ did not want to have to interrogate 'It.' He turned just in time to see Ziva throwing open the door to Watson's room. She turned, stuck her tongue out, and haughtily flipped her hair over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.

Tony narrowed his eyes and glared at the closed door for a moment, willing it to open. When that didn't work he sighed and, making a disgusted face, turned to Tierney's room. "She is _so_ going to pay for this." He grumbled before pushing open the door and stepping into the room.

**TBC**

**A/N: Please R&R!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine.**

**A/N: Hope you enjoy! Please R&R!**

"I promise, Agent _Tony_," Captain Rachel Tierney purred as she walked past Tony and out of the interrogation room. "If I think of _anything_ else, I'll call _you_." She smiled in what Tony assumed she thought was a sexy way, but actually just stretched her doughy face into a gross distortion.

Afraid that he would vomit if he opened his mouth, Tony settled for a tight smile. Seemingly satisfied, Tierney "sauntered" down the hallway and out of sight. Tony shuddered and made a retching noise.

"Poor Tony." Ziva's amused voice said from his immediate right.

Tony whirled and froze abruptly when he saw just how close Ziva was. And just how sadistically amused the expression on her face was.

"Yes, well, you'd be just as traumatized if you had…_that_," he gestured to the place where Tierney had disappeared. "Attempting to flirt with you."

"Tony, Tony, Tony…" Ziva shook her head with mock disappointment. "Do not be shallow. She may not be the…prettiest…woman on Earth, but she may have a wonderful personality. Beauty is in the thighs of the beholder, no?"

If there had been a glass of water nearby Tony would have asked Ziva to say that again as he took a sip. He had always wanted to spit water out in surprise. "Uh, that would be _eyes _of the beholder, Ziva. Eyes…not thighs."

"Either way…" Ziva glanced down and smiled predatorily before smacking him lightly on the cheek and sashaying down the corridor.

Clearing his throat, Tony straightened and followed her with as much dignity as he could muster.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Abby bobbed her head side to side as Plastic Death's new album blared from her speakers. Picking up the printout of the latest ballistics report, she pirouetted back to her computer and swung her hips from side to side as she sang along to the song. "Take it back, take it back, take it back! Falling faster and faster; can't hide from boneblack!"

Abby stopped abruptly as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She whirled around and saw McGee standing just inside the door watching her with amusement. Picking up the remote for her speaker system, she clicked the pause button. The sudden silence in the lab caused Abby's ears to ring.

"McGee." Abby narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long enough." His voice was even and playful, but there was something in his eyes that Abby couldn't identify.

"Haha." She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the way that unidentified look in McGee's eyes sent her heart racing. "What do ya need, Timmy?"

"Nothing. Just came down here to see if you needed any help." McGee shoved his hands in his pockets and took a few more steps into the lab. "What's 'boneblack?' Is that even a word?"

"Yes, McGee." Her tone was exasperated, but she smiled to soften the blow. "It's the black residue chiefly of tribasic calcium phosphate and carbon from bones calcined in closed vessels used especially as a pigment, _or_… as a decolorizing adsorbent in sugar manufacturing."

McGee simply stared at Abby for a second. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Abby shook her head and glanced down at the printout for the first time. Her eyes widened and she grabbed McGee's wrist. "Timmy! Look!"

"Whoa, Abs, what's wrong?" McGee stumbled as Abby pulled him next to her and shoved the paper under his nose. "Victim's blood contained trace amounts of heroin." McGee read aloud, not comprehending the words. He did a double take. "Heroin?!"

"Yep." Abby smiled widely. "Our dead Captain was under the influence."

………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Abby, you said you had something?" Gibbs hurried into Abby's lab, where the young scientist was bouncing excitedly on her heels. McGee was bent over the keyboard on Abby's table.

"Indeed, I did Gibbs!" Abby smiled and thrust the printout into Gibbs' hands.

"Why so excited, Abs?" Tony asked as he and Ziva followed Gibbs into the lab.

"Drug test came back positive." Abby paused for dramatic effect.

"For?" Ziva questioned.

Abby opened her mouth to answer, but McGee cut across her without looking up. "Heroin."

"McGee!" Abby half-whined.

"What?" He still didn't look up.

"Children." Gibbs snapped.

"Sorry, Gibbs." Abby offered him an apologetic smile before continuing. "Anyway, as I was going to say…we found minute traces of heroin in the Captain's system."

"So?" Gibbs interrupted.

"Patience, Gibbs." Abby teased. Upon receiving a definitely non-teasing look from Gibbs, she continued. "Or not. Um, I talked to Ducky and asked him to check for any puncture wounds that would suggest that the heroin was injected into him. He didn't find any."

"He could have snorted it." Tony chimed in helpfully.

Abby shook her head. "When heroin, any kind of drug really, is snorted the nose becomes enflamed and runs uncontrollably. There was no sign of any mucus near or on the body."

"Could have been wiped up." Ziva added.

"Yes…except that isn't what happened. There were only trace amounts because only a little teeny bit got into his system." Abby mimed 'little' with her fingers. "Not because a lot of time had passed since it was "taken.""

"And that means…?" Tony frowned.

Abby and McGee shared a look before Abby turned back to "The Group."

"Since there were no injection sites and no mucus residue…the only other option is…" Abby made eye contact with each of her friends. "Is that he was smuggling drugs back from Iraq. _In_ his body."

"He was a carrier." Ziva nodded with understanding.

"That's good work, Abs." He moved closer to her, but paused with his lips just centimeters form her cheek. "Again." He kissed her lightly.

"Reminds me of a little movie called 'Who'll Stop the Rain.'" Tony said proudly, puffing out his chest. "Except this is from Iraq, not Vietnam. And Walsh was definitely no Nick Nolte."

"Right." Ziva spoke with the slowness one uses on a particularly dense child. Turning her attention to Gibbs she said, "If Walsh was smuggling drugs, his entire team was most likely in on it."

"Tierney…" Tony shuddered.

Ignoring DiNozzo Gibbs said, "But we have no proof."

"Gibbs, if this is not an isolated incident we have a serious problem." Ziva said worriedly.

"I'm aware of that, Ziva." Gibbs said. "Teams who go into combat together have a bond that isn't easily broken. They'll cover for each other even if we send them to the worst prison in the world. We need a way to get information out of them without _looking_ like we're getting information from them." Gibbs shared a look with Tony, who smiled.

"Undercover." Tony laughed boisterously and clapped his hands together.

Ziva nodded, catching on. "Watson did so kindly share with me his "type" in women, Gibbs."

"Oh?" Gibbs waited.

"Tall, dark, and gorgeous." Ziva ticked off her fingers.

"Hmmm…" Abby frowned, running through all the agents she knew in her mind. "Who do we know that fits that description?" With her eyes unfocused she didn't see all heads turn to her. When she finally noticed that everybody's attention was on her, her eyes widened. "What?"

Mischievous smiles curled over Tony and Ziva's lips, while McGee and Gibbs looked a little more than worried.

"What?" Abby repeated looking back and forth between the agents in front of her. "Guys…?" Her voice was lower, more suspicious. "Guys, what's going on?"

"Well…_Abs_…you're tall…" Tony trailed.

"You like the dark…" Ziva picked up.

"And you are gorgeous." McGee finished.

Abby would have blushed if she had not been so dumbfounded by what they were implying. "Me?!" Abby squeaked, her voice a few octaves higher.

"You." Tony, Ziva, and McGee answered at the same time.

"No! No! No! Absolutely not!" Abby shook her head so hard that her braided pigtails smacked her in the face.

"I second that." Gibbs broke in, much to the surprise of everyone in the room.

"Thank you!" Abby exclaimed, throwing her arms around Gibbs' neck.

"Gibbs," Ziva started, her negotiating voice firmly in place. "This may be the only way to get enough evidence to convict the killer or killers. Abby is the only one who fits Watson's type. You know as well as we do that Abby must do this."

Gibbs looked at them like they were all crazy. "No way am I going to let Abby do this. She's not a trained agent; what if her cover is blown? No, it's not going to happen."

"Boss," Tony interjected. "We'd always be within reach of Abby. We wouldn't let anything happen to her. _You _wouldn't let anything happen. Plus, Abs may not be an agent, but she's pretty badass. Remember the taser?"

"And she did almost bash my head in with a ceramic toilet lid when Michael was stalking her." McGee added helpfully.

Abby's eyes flew between all the agents, finally settling on Gibbs. He still looked completely against the idea. Taking a deep breath, he turned to her and gently clasped her shoulders. "Abs…I won't force you to do this."

"Gibbs…" She frowned, refusing to make eye contact with any of them.

"I'll be wherever you are, I promise. I won't let anything happen." Gibbs narrowed his eyes in earnest. "It's up to you."

Abby sighed in defeat. She didn't want to do it, but she couldn't let a killer roam free. "What do I have to do?"

"Alright, Abby!" Tony thrust his fist into the air.

Ignoring Tony, Gibbs studied the forensic scientist. "You're sure?"

With a confidence she didn't feel, Abby squared her shoulders and set her jaw, allowing a small, cocky smile to spread over her lips. "Absolutely."

**TBC**

**Please R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Make-Over**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine.**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! This is a really short chapter too, sorry. Not much action, but a little McGee/Abby. I think. LOL.**

**ENJOY!!!**

Abby's eyes were squeezed shut and her face was screwed up in apparent agony. She cried out; her wail echoing off the walls surrounding her. Her head jerked back as one of the people behind her yanked on her hair so hard it jarred her teeth. "Stop! Stop, please!" she begged, her voice cracking from calling out so many times. "Just stop!" she screamed.

The hands tangled in her hair abruptly released her. Not expecting this, Abby's head swung forward and her chin slammed to her chest. "Thank you."

The person behind her gave a heavy 'why me?' sigh. "Abigail…" the tone was warning. "You promised—,"

"No." Abby cut across the federal beautician. Abby may have fit the three most general descriptions of Watson's type, but Ziva soon divulged that his type was a little more clean-cut than Abby. This meant no gelled, braided, or pig-tailed hair. The Director had called in a favor with a woman she had attended college with who just happened to be a beautician who worked for the government. "I agreed to let you "tame" my hair, not rip it out! And it's Abby, not Abigail!"

"I'm not ripping it out!" the woman exclaimed in frustration. She opened her mouth to yell some more, but stopped short, visibly trying to calm herself down. Abby could almost hear the woman mentally counting to ten. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet, as thought she were struggling not to yell. "_Abby_," she stressed the pronunciation of the scientist's name. "I'm almost finished. Please, _please," _A hint of desperation had crept into her voice. "Just let me do what I was hired to do."

Abby folded her arms over her chest and slumped down a little, pout firmly in place on her lips. "Do I have to, Gibbs?" Abby, who had her back to the door, should have had no way of telling if someone had entered the room. But she knew Gibbs.

And she knew that Gibbs was currently leaning against the doorframe watching the beauty torture play out. She felt the federal sadist, who had introduced herself as Sally, whip around and stutter out a greeting. "A-a-agent Gibbs!" She paused, her voice sounding rather squeaky. "I, um, didn't see you…there." She finished lamely.

"Mm-hm." Gibbs replied, cocky half-smile in place. He pushed himself off of the doorframe and moved into Abby's direct line of sight. "No, Abs," He paused, narrowing his eyes concernedly. "You don't have to."

Abby sighed looking at Gibbs. "Yes, I do." She shook her head and pouted even more. She slid even further down in her chair and grumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Gibbs asked, amused.

"Nothing." Abby pasted a huge, fake smile on her face. "Just how _excited_ I am!"

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. "Don't be too hard on her." He called over his shoulder as he strode back towards the door.

"I'm not, Agent Gibbs. I'm just doing what Jen asked m--," the beautician was cut off as Gibbs turned around.

"I was talking to Abby." Gibbs cocked his head and flashed Sally a 'I'm-trying-really-hard-not-to-enjoy-making-you-feel-like-an-idiot-but-it's-too-much-fun' smile.

When Gibbs had left the room, Sally turned around, a deep purple color. She met Abby's eyes, looking for some kind of sympathy or reassurance. Unfortunately for her, she would be receiving non from the woman sitting in front of her. Abby bounced a little and smiled brightly.

"Let's just get this over with." Sally grumbled, forcing Abby to turn around so that the back of her head was facing the door again. Sally began pulling the 'de-tangler' slathered comb through the scientist's dark hair.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"You've got to be kidding me." Abby stared blankly at her reflection. Her mouth was hanging open and her hands were hanging limply at her sides.

"Oh, come on, Abs!" Tony said jovially, throwing an arm over her shoulder and following her eyes to look at her reflection. "I think you look quite smashing." He raised a cocky eyebrow and spoke with his "Sean Connery" accent.

"Shut up." Abby whined, distressed. "Tony, I look like a Barbie doll!"

Tony squeezed her shoulders once before stepping back. "No, you don't, Abby."

"I would trust him if I were you, Abby." Ziva said as she and McGee walked into Abby's lab. "He had dated enough 'Barbie dolls.'" Ziva pronounced the last two words with distaste.

"Haha." Tony scrunched his nose at her.

McGee started to laugh before he really got a good look at Abby. When he did…boy…did all words escape him. "Guh…" he said, rather intelligently.

"See?" Abby turned to Tony and Ziva in misery. "McGee thinks I look 'guh!'"

Tony and Ziva shared an amused look before looking back at the harried woman and dumbstruck man. "Yeah, Abs…" Tony paused, looking skyward to find the right words. "I don't think he meant "guh" as a bad thing."

"Yes, I think McGee was rather at a loss for words." Ziva added, grinning when McGee finally tore his eyes from Abby and giving the Mossad officer a withering look.

Abby whirled on McGee, arms crossed over her leather-clad chest. Narrowing her eyes at him calculatingly, she cocked her head. "Well?" After a moment she spread her arms and waited, so McGee could get the full effect of the outfit.

Abby was wearing dark wash boot-cut jeans, a thin white tank-top that looked impossibly soft, a thin black leather belt, and the coolest black leather motorcycle jacket he had ever seen. On her feet, she wore three or four inch black patent high heels, giving the outfit a dangerous/sexy sort of feel. Her fingernails and toes were painted a deep red and her hair was falling in soft waves to her shoulder blades. Her bangs, which she had allowed to grow out recently, were pushed subtly to one side.

Her eyes were rimmed in a soft grey color that brought out the natural green of her irises and her mouth was a subtly shiny mauve color.

Whoa.

"You…I—I mean…um, wow." McGee felt his face heating up as he lacked the ability to string a few words together to make an intelligible sentence.

Abby waited for a minute, mentally sifting through McGee's garbled compliment. Which is eventually what she deemed it.

A compliment, that is.

"Aw, thanks, Tim." Abby ran/stumbled over to him and threw her arms around his neck. McGee returned the hug enthusiastically.

Which both Tony and Ziva noticed.

And promptly rolled their eyes at.

"Abby." Gibbs stuck his head in the lab. "It's go time."

The team and Abby all looked at each other for a moment, letting out a deep breath in synchrony. "Alright." Abby said, bolstering as much confidence as she could. "Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Step One**

**Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine. Sadly.**

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait! I kinda sorta forgot I had this story. LOL. Anyway, it's been awhile since I watched NCIS and there are no episodes on right now (darn), so I'm hoping my characterization isn't terribly off. Reviews are, as always, savored and answered. No flames please, though.**

**ENJOY!!!**

Abby sat in the backseat of Gibbs' car, knees together, and hands clenched in front of her. She was staring dead ahead, unblinking. McGee, who was sitting next to her, shared a look with Gibbs and reached across the seat, gently laying a hand over her tightly clasped fists.

"Hey, you okay?" He kept his voice low and studied Abby calculatingly. The scientist's jaw was set and her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was nervous.

Abby seemed to jerk back to reality when McGee gently squeezed her hand. "What? Yes, I'm fine." She spoke too quickly; clearly showing that she was _not_ fine.

"Last chance, Abby." Gibbs turned around, his misgivings plainly visible in his expression. "You can still back out."

"No way, Gibbs." Her voice had a 'don't be silly' tone to it. "Sciuto's don't quit." She paused. "Except that time Uncle Ron tried to--,"

"Abs." Gibbs cut her off.

"Right. Sorry." Abby took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do this thing." She looked at McGee and they shared a nod. Tim squeezed her hand one last time before letting go and opening his door. Abby followed suit, nearly tripping over her stilettos. Put her in five inch platform boots and she was fine…exchange them for four inch pumps and you get one clumsy scientist.

The plan, as it stood, was for Abby and McGee to enter a bar that Major Watson was known to frequent as a couple. They were to sit at the bar and act like they were on a date until they spotted Watson. Then Abby was to start a ruckus, claiming that McGee was a womanizing jerk and that she never wanted to see his face again. They were to continue like this until Watson's attention was piqued. When they were sure that Watson had noticed them, McGee was supposed to mime like he was going to hit Abby.

A part of the plan that Special Agent McGee was not happy about.

He couldn't imagine ever hurting Abby, pretend or no.

But, they had to do something to entice Watson. And what was more enticing to a chauvinistic guy like Watson than a helpless damsel in distress?

"Wish me luck?" Abby ducked her head back in the car to look at Gibbs.

"Always." He gave her a small smile.

Abby smiled back, before stepping away, and closing the door. When she had moved away from the car to stand next to McGee, Gibbs drove off around the back of the building where he would be waiting when McGee exited the building.

Alone.

Tony and Ziva were back at NCIS headquarters monitoring the situation from the bar's security cameras and the hidden mic and camera in the lapel of Abby's motorcycle jacket. They would be relaying Abby's whereabouts to McGee and Gibbs via cellphone.

"Ready, Ms. Marilyn Calloway?" McGee smiled slightly when Abby scrunched her nose at her undercover name. Tony had come up with it. 'Marilyn' came from that memorable Halloween when the scientist had dressed like Ms. Monroe and the Calloway…

Well, according to Tony, Calloway came from a girl he used to date in college that "oozed sexy damsel in distress." Immediately following those words, he had received a smack to the back of the head by an exasperated Ziva.

"No." Abby pouted, hooking her arm through McGee's proffered one.

"Good. Let's go." He tugged Abby along, holding the door open for her.

"Remember, Chris," Abby elbowed Tim slightly when she said his undercover name. "Be a jerk."

"Right." McGee nodded confidently. Which was a total façade. He had no idea how to be a jerk to the woman walking next to him. Not that he hadn't been slightly jerky towards her in the past…but those rare times had been on bad days. He didn't know how realistic it was going to look when he tried to be a jerk on purpose.

The couple sat at the bar and McGee ordered two seltzer waters with lime. They couldn't actually drink alcohol on the job, so they had to settle for making it look like they were drinking an alcoholic beverage.

Casually McGee glanced to his left and, not spotting Watson, glanced to the right. "Can you see him?" He said under his breath to Abby.

"No…wait, yes!" She whispered back. "He's right behind you, in the corner."

"He alone?" McGee smiled at the bartender casually as he delivered their drinks.

"Yup." Abby sipped her seltzer and grimaced slightly. "Carbonated water. Ugh."

The corner of McGee's mouth hitched up in a smile. "Not a fan?"

"Nope."

"Well, at least you didn't use any dramatically scientific words." McGee shrugged and took a swig of his own drink.

"Dramatically scientific? What's that supposed to mean?" Abby frowned.

McGee glanced at her. "Nothing. I was just worried that you might forget…" He paused, searching for another word for 'undercover.' "Who you are, _Marilyn_."

"You thought I'd forget?" Abby put down her drink with more force than was necessary. "Just because I'm not--," She stopped before she could say agent.

McGee, seeing this as a good start for their argument, plowed ahead. "See? You almost forgot right there."

"No, I didn't. I'm not an idiot, _Chris_."

"No?" Tim raised an eyebrow and swirled his drink casually.

Abby's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "How dare you." Her voice was low and hurt.

McGee's heart twisted. She looked really hurt by what he'd said. She did know that he was just following through with the plan right? She didn't think he meant it…?

As the silence stretched between them, Abby squeezed her eyes shut briefly before glaring at Tim. "Well, I guess the truth comes out, then. How long have you been waiting to say that?" Her tone was accusatory and challenging.

"Too long." McGee answered shortly, leaning his elbow against the bar.

"Well, sorry I don't live up to _your_ standards." She spat out the word 'your' with such disdain that McGee had to fight not flinch.

"You're not the first." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Abby's cheeks flared. She was so angry, she barely remembered why they were there. She blinked furiously, willing the hot sting of tears to go away. "Yeah, 'cause you're _so _popular with the ladies." Her voice had risen considerably in volume.

"What can I say? They all want a little bit of Chris." The smarmy velvety quality in his voice left a bad taste in McGee's mouth. His voice sounded foreign to his own ears and it worried him how easy it was for him to act like a chauvinistic lecher.

"Oh, I'm sure they do." Abby's voice was shrill and thick with tears. "Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to see little ol' me."

"Hey," McGee's smile stretched slowly across his face and he winked arrogantly. "You can thank me by, uh, _thanking _me."

Abby jumped up from her stool, hands clenched into fists. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

McGee watched her with false disinterest. "I'm putting in," he gestured to the drinks he had paid for. "So you're going to put out."

"What?!" Abby roared, eyes blazing. "Just who do you think you are?"

McGee's eyes flashed in anger and he slowly rose from his stool. Abby didn't seem to notice that the bar had gotten very quiet and all eyes had turned towards the arguing pair…but McGee did. And he hated himself for what he had to do next.

Knowing that Watson had moved considerably closer to them, McGee stepped around the stool and got very close to Abby. "No, who do you think _you_ are, you mouthy bitch?" McGee could see the tears in Abby's eyes and he fought not to break character. Why did he agree to do this? He should have had Tony pretend to be Abby's date.

But, at the time, he had shoved that option out of his mind. He couldn't let himself think about Tony and Abby being…_together_.

Abby clenched her jaw. "Well, I know who I'm not. I'm _not_ a bitch and I am _not_ your date." She made to turn on her heel, but McGee reached out and clamped a hand down on her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" He squeezed her arm. Hard.

Abby flinched and slapped McGee's hand. "Don't you ever touch me again!" She shouted.

"Don't _you_ ever talk to _me_ like that again!" McGee shouted back. With the biggest mental and physical effort of his life, he raised his hand. Abby watched him with wide eyes, rooted to the spot. His hand arched through the air, but, as they had banked on, his hand was stopped before it could make contact with Abby's face.

Not that McGee would have let it get that far. If Watson hadn't stopped him, he would have gone wide, missing on purpose, but making it look like he was drunk.

McGee was spun around, his arm in a death grip courtesy of Watson. "So, you think it's fun to beat up defenseless women, huh?" Watson raised his other hand, which was clenched into a fist, but another patron had called for the bartender and the big man was suddenly there, pushing the two men apart.

McGee stumbled into the bar, his lower back slamming into the counter. Watson took several steps backward, but stayed on his feet.

"There will be no fighting in my bar! You want to do that shit, take it outside." The bartender bellowed, pointing towards the door.

McGee threw his hands in the air, a disgusted look on his face. "Forget it; you're not worth the effort." He pointed at Watson. "And you're not worth the time." He spat pointing at Abby.

Before anyone could argue and before McGee could see the hurt fill Abby's eyes, he turned on his heel and walked purposefully towards the back door. Before he could actually think about where he was going, he was outside, the bright sunshine blinding him.

Momentarily forgetting that he was supposed to get into the car with a waiting Gibbs, Tim pressed his back against the rough brick of the alley wall. Dropping his head back, he blinked furiously, telling himself that the hot sting was because of the sun, not tears. Gritting his teeth, McGee slammed his fist back against the wall. "Dammit!" He exclaimed, hitting the wall again.

Abby's tear-filled, shocked eyes flashed in his mind, blocking everything else from his view. What had he been _thinking_? He was an idiot to think he could do this. _'It's part of the job.'_ A little voice in the back of McGee's head intoned.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he swallowed hard, the bitter taste of self-reproach coating his tongue. It scared him that he was reacting so violently. Yes, he knew he cared for Abby…but how much?

Tim jumped when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Eyes snapping open, he whipped around to see who had grabbed him. Gibbs stood to his left, eye ablaze with something dark and unfathomable.

Without a word, he pulled McGee away from the wall and half dragged him to the car. He opened McGee's door and pushed the agent inside. Quickly walking to the driver's side door, he pulled it open and slid inside, slamming the door behind him. Tim sat with his hands lying listlessly on his legs and his eyes downcast.

Taking a deep breath, Gibbs turned towards McGee and waited for the younger agent to meet his gaze. Gibbs' eyes were narrowed shrewdly. "It wasn't real."

McGee's voice was hoarse and quiet. "I know that, boss."

"You sure about that?" Gibbs cocked his head and watched Tim with a calculating expression.

McGee hesitated for only a second. "Yes."

Watching McGee for another long moment, Gibbs faced forwards and gripped the steering wheel. "Rule number twelve, McGee."

Tim paused and looked at the older man with stunned eyes. "Boss, Abby and I aren't—,"

"I know that, McGee."

"Then why did you…?"

Gibbs turned back to McGee, expression unreadable. "Because I'm not blind…Tim."

McGee's eyes widened, first at what the other man was implying and second at the use of his first name. Tim opened his mouth to say something…_anything_…but was cut off when Gibbs' cellphone began buzzing.

"Gibbs." The older agent barked, pushing the button for the speakerphone.

"Boss," Tony's voice rang through the car. "Thought you might want to know what Abby's up to."

**TBC**

**A/N: I know McGee is a bit out of character, but I needed him to be a bit of an actor in this chapter. LOL. And rule number twelve is the no dating coworkers rule, but you guys probably already knew that. ******

**Please R&R!**


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